Bhati 100 – Ultra race in the Aravalli’s

Ran an amazing race yesterday – the Bhati 100. This is part of the Globeracers extreme running events. It’s a 100 mile (that’s the 100 in Bhati 100) race right in the middle of rough, thorny and a pretty hot Aravalli hills on the Delhi-Faridabad border. I personally ran the two person 30mile relay and am happy to report that we stood first. Now before you say CRAZY. Read this excerpt from a conversation with a roadside vendor when I asked him for directions to the start point of the Bhati 100 yesterday – This guy was obviously educated since he could read my name off my running bib and asked – “Is there a race”, I said “Yes”. “How long is it” – I was in a bit of quandary with this one since it could be 30, 50 or 100 miles. I decided to go with the extreme – “160 kilometres”. He now shows his knowledge which stumps me a bit – “160km yah 42km” – so he has heard of marathons! “160km” – I repeat. “160km, no person can run so much. Is it a car race !”. “No people will be running from now till tomorrow morning”. Sudden realisation – “Oh. Ok, is it an Army race” – he understands them doing extreme stuff. “No it’s not an army event, just regular people”. He is now completely foxed, suddenly I see his face light up, he has got it! – “How much is the prize money?”. Me – “Nothing”. He is completely bewildered – People want to run 160km; they are not in the Army and there is no prize money!!!

“INSPIRED IDIOTS” was the slogan on the race Tee for Bhati 100. I think that says it all. Hats off to the 100 milers some of whom are still running as I write this !

Hahaha… Sandeep! The same story continued till next evening. Funniest was the next morning when people started to come to check, why the hell they’re running loops after loops without any will to stop. CRAZINESS 🙂